Changeable exhibitor



J. A. GREER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1920.

1,373,384. Patented Mar. 29,1921

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J. A. GREE'R. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY [,1920-Patented 29, 1921. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTORNE Y.

J. A. GHEER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1920.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORNEY.

J. A. GREER. CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. I920.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

1 3 MN Om I N V EN TOR. fa/z/rfl freer. BY

A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. GREER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN A. GREEK, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andltate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inChangeable Exhibitors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrically actuated, changeable exhibitorhaving a web wound from one reel to another and reversed automaticallyfor bringing the advertising or other sections thereof successively intoview at a display opening or window in the casing in which the partsarecontained.

Among the objects of my invention are, first, to improve theconstruction of devices of the kind mentioned; second, to provide animproved form of switch mechanism for stopping the web at )redeterminedintervals to properly display the sections thereof, and, third, toprovide a slower rotating switch for automatically reversingthedirection of the web at predetermined points in its lengtlnsuch switchhaving sections in the reverse order so constructed that the'web may bereversed at any desireo point in its length, say after a certain numberof sections have been displayed.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is front view of a changeable exhibitor constructed inaccordance with my inventiom'the outer casing being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and front views, re spectively, of a detail ofconstruction to be hereinafter described;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are side views of the electri V cally actuated clutchmechanism for one of the reels, the clutch being shown moved intoposition to disconnect the reel from its live spindle in Fig. 6, and inposition connecting said parts in Fig. 7

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are perspective, sectional, and bottom plan views,respectively, showing the contact fingers associated with the movableweb;

Figs. 12 and 13 are side elevational and Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 393,297.

longitudinal sectional views, respectively, of one of the sets ofsolenoids for operating the clutch mechanism; 7

Fig. 14 is a View of the rotating switch of the stopping mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the rotating switch of the reversingmechanism;

Fig. 16 is a developed view of the said switch; and

Figs. 17 and 18 are sectionalviews, the former taken on line 1717 ofFig. 14, and the latter on line 1818 f Fig. 17.

The changeable exhibitor of my invention has a base member 1 forming theback wall of a casing in which the parts are located. Vertical brackets2, 2, are fixed to the back 1 and between them extend two reels 3, 3,carrying a web 4. Extending between the brackets 2, 2, are two guiderollers 5, 6, one above and the other below the reels. The web 4 extendsfrom the reels between these rollers and thus has a vertical portionback of a transparent strip or glass plate 7 at the front of the casing,and through which the sections of the web are displayed.

Each reel 3 has one end engaged with a dead spindle 8 and the other endloosely engaged with a live spindle 9. The device includes anelectric'motor 10 having on its armature shaft 11 a worm 12 in mesh witha worm gear 13 fixed on a shaft 14 journaled in hangers 15, 15, on aplate 16 secured t one of the brackets 2 by screws 17, as shown. Theshaft 14 extends inside of the bracket 2 toward the reel 3 and has fixedthereto a gear pinion 18 in mesh with gear wheel 19 fixed on the livespindle 9 of the lower reel 3. The gear wheel 19 meshes with a wheel 20of the same diameter fixed on the live spindle 9 of the upper reel 3,and when the motor 10 is rotated the gear wheels 19, 20, and livespindles are turned in opposite directions, so that when one reel isclutched to its spindle it will be the winding reel.

The clutch mechanism for each reel consists of a sleeve 21 loosely andslidably mounted on the associated live spindle 9 and having a groove 22engaged by the forked end of a yoke 23 secured to a shift rod 24. Fixedto the spindle 9.1's a ratchet wheel 25 engaged by a pawl 26 pivoted onthe end of the reel 3, as shown in Fig. 8. A spring 27, carried by thereel 3, acts to force the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel 25for connecting the reel and spindle 9. To raise the pawl 26 out ofengagement and 18.

with the ratchet wheel 25 to disconnect the reel from its spindle 9, thesleeve 21 is provided with a radial flange 28, which when moved underthe end 29 of the pawl raises and holds it out of engagement with saidratchet wheel.

Fpr operating each clutch device are two alined solenoids 30, 31, asshown in Figs. 1, 12 and 13- These solenoids are held in place by clips32 on a base plate 33 secured to the back 1 as shown. The core orarmature 34 is in the form of a rod, as shown in Fig.13, and isconnected at one end with the shift rod 24. When one solenoid isenergized the other is deenergized, and when the one 31 is energized therod 34 is moved to operate the clutch and disconnect the reel from itsspindle 9. lVhen the other solenoid is energized, the rod 34 is moved inthe opposite direction and connects the reel with its spindle 9. This isdone automatically at predetermined intervals for stopping the web aftera display section has been brought.

to view at the window and allow the web to remain stationary for alength of time to display such section.

Journaled in the plate 16 is a vertical shaft 35 having at its lower enda wori wheel 36 in mesh with a worm 37 on the shaft 14, as shown inFigs. 1, 3 and 4. 1 Fixed on this shaft 35 adjacent its upper end is arotary switch member 38, made of insulating material and upon which beara plural ity of spring controlled contact lingers or brushes 39, and 41,each pivoted on a binding post 42 secured to the plate 16. T he switchmember 38 has an annular commutator ring 43. against which the fingerbears, while the finger 40 bears against the surface of said member 38.;This surface.

is raised at one point in its circumference and thus makes the membersomewhat camshaped, as shown in- Figs. 14 and 18. The linger 41'bearsagainst a ring 45 interrupted at the cam projection, as shown in Fig.This provides a gap 45 bridged by the insulating material of which themember made and breaks the circuit through finger 41, in the manner tobe presently described. At this cam projection there is a bar 46 set inthe member and in contact with the edge of the ring 45, asshown in Figs.4, 14, 17 This bar is connected with the outer ring 43 by a conductorstrip 47- To reverse the direction of the web 4 I provide another rotaryswitch member 48' projecting contact segments or blades 56, 57, arrangedin sets with one set laterally spaced apart from the other set, as shownin Figs. 15 and 16; the segments of each set have the same peripherallength, are also spaced apart circumferentially or endwise a distanceslightly greater than the length of a blade, so that there is a blade ofone set opposite the space between blades in the other set, as shown inFig. 16. Thus the brush 52, while being wide enough to be in the path ofmovement of both sets of blades, will only contact with one at atime,'one moving out of contact just before the follow ing one of theother set moves in. The segments 56 of one set engage the ring 54, whilethe segments 57 of the other engage the ring 55, there being a portionof the member 43 between the two sets to insulate them from each other.The path of the current, when the middle brush 52 is in contact with onesegment, is through such parts and the assoiated ring and not throughthe other ring and its segments; thus when the finger 5 is in contactwith one of the segments 56, the web will be moved in one direction, butwhen in contact with one 01" the other segments 57 the web will move inthe opposite direction. The peripheral length of the segment 56 isproportionate to the length of the web or the number of successivesections into which the web is divided, an d the rate of rotation 01 theswitch member 4 is slower than the other switch member 153 and is suchthat the brush 52 stays in 0011- 100 tact with one segment or bladeuntil all of the display sections for that segment have beensuccessively brought to View at the window 7. When that happens, the sement 56 moves out or" contact with the brush 105 and the iollowingsegment 5'? moves under and into contact with the brush 52, thusreversing the web, and allowing the web to run in the opposite directionto the same extent before being reversed again. cycle ofoperationsrepeats as long as the motor is rotater and the web reversed after adisplay of its sections. This reversing mechanism may be set to reversethe web at any predetermined point in its length, that is, it the fulllength of theweb is divided into a given number of display sections, theweb may be reversed at the end of the dis play of all of those sections,by, putting on a switch member 48 having segments of the length toaccomplish this, this member being clamped to the gear wheel 49 a nut orlike part (Fig. 4). Should it be desired to exhibit a lesser number ofthose sections, the first mentioned member 48 would be replaced by onewith segments or'blades having a peripheral length for that purpose.Current is supplied by a generator or a battery 59,- as shownin Fig. 1,and from which leads a wire 60 connected to the brush This 110 39. Theother Wire 61 leads to magnet 31 of the lower reel 3. A wire 62 connectswire 61 with the magnet 30 of said lower reel. A wire 63 leads from saidmagnet to the finger 51. A wire 64 connects the finger 53 with themagnet 30 of the upper reel. A wire 65 connects the magnet 30 of thelower reel with wire 62. The motor 10 is connected to the wires 60 and61 by wires 66 and 67, respectively.

Bearing against the lower guide roller 6 is a contact finger 68 mountedon a cross-bar 69, which extends between the brackets 2, 2. This finger.68 is constantly in contact with the roller 6, this being live as it isin the circuit of the device. The finger 68 bears against that portionof the roller beyond one of the side edges'ot the web at, as shown inFigs. 1, 9 and 11. The web 1 is divided lengthwise into a plurality ofadvertising or display sections, preferably of uniform height, andbetween the sections are transversely arranged, elongated apertures orslots 70, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. These slots are arrangedcentrally of the web and co5perating with them is a contact finger 71 onthe rod 69. The free end of the finger 71 is split to provide aplurality of resilient tongues 72 adapted to engage the roller 6 throughthe apertures 7 0 when the parts register for that purpose. By providingthe tongues 72 there is a certainty of having contact made even thoughthe web may shift laterally and cause the slots to move partially out ofalinement with the finger 71. The contact finger 68 is connected by awire 73 with the finger 41, while the contact finger 71 is connected bya wire 74 with a brush 75 01" the magnets for the lower reel, as shownin Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 13, the armature rod 34 of each set ofmagnets is surrounded by a sleeve 76 of insulating material havingbetween its ends a contact ring 77 for the brush 75. To the otherterminal 78 (Fig. 1) of the brush 75 is connected a wire 79, which leadsto one of the terminals of the magnet 31 of the set. The other terminalof the upper magnet 31 is connected by a wire 80 to the wire 61. Thebrushes 75 of the two sets of magnets are connected by a wire 81.

T Vhen the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the upper reel 3is clutched to the gear wheel 20, and the motor 10 on being rotatedwinds the web 4 on the upper reel, the lower reel being disconnectedfrom the gear wheel 19 and being loose to turn as the web unwindstherefrom. The solenoid 31 of the lower reel is maintained energizedthrough the rotary switch mechanism 18 to hold the lower reel unclutchedfrom the gear wheel 19 during the entire time that web is wound on theupper reel. When a display section is brought into view at the window 7the web is stopped by being disconnected from the gear wheel 20. Thishappens by the finger 71 engaging the roller 6 through the slot 70 and,completing the circuit through wire 74 and 81, energizes the solenoid 31of the upper reel and operates the clutch to disconnect that reel fromthe continuously rotating gear wheel 20. This moves the ring 77 (Fig.13) out of contact with the brush 75 and breaks the circuit through thesolenoid 31 to deenergize it. The web 4: remains stationary until thefinger 40 drops over the cam projection of the me -iber 38. The finger10 in dropping wipes past and momentarily contacts with the bar 46,which, being connected with the ring 13, completes the circuit throughthe fingers 39 and 10 and causes a flow of current through the wire 6 1,finger 52, segment 57, ring 55, finger 53, wire 64, and into the othersolenoid 30, energizing it and clutching the upper reel to the geartrain. At about the same time the finger 11 drops over this camprojection and comes into contact with the fiber portion 15 in the gapin the ring 15, thus breaking the circuit through the roller 6, so thatthe circuit will be broken before the brush 75 and contact ring 77 ofthe upper set of solenoids are brought in contact and thus preventreenergizing of the solenoid 31 and prematurely throwing the clutch.After these parts are in contact, the finger 41 moves of the fibersurface 15 on to the ring 415 to complete the circuit through the roller6, when the next slot in the web registers with the contact finger 71.

This cycle of events repeats each time a display section is broughtopposite the window 7 and the web stopped intermittently for the purposestated. When the web has been wound on the upper reel to an extent thatit has been displayed the switch member 48 has been rotatedsur'liciently to cause the segment 57 which was in contact with thefinger 52 to move out of contact therewith and contact with thefollowing segment 56, energizing the solenoid 31 of the upper reel tohold it unclutched from the gear train, and allow the solenoids of thelower reel to now be actuated through the switch mechanism 38 to clutchand unclutch the lower reel to and from the gear train, at the intervalsnoted, to wind the web on that reel, and dis play the sections over aain, but in the reverse order, the gear train and the direction ofmovement of the web reversed.

lVhile I have shown and described in de- 1 thereby, a live spindle foreach reel, a motor,

a gear train connecting the motor with said live spindles for drivingthe latter in opposite directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel, apair of solenoids for each clutch mechanism, a switch mechanism operatedby the gear train and in circuit with the solenoids for energizing oneof them at a time to hold the associated clutch mechanismin positionwith its reel disconnected from its spindle during the winding of theweb on the other reel, another switch mechanism also in said circuit anddriven by said gear train for intermittently energizing the other set ofsolenoids for actuating the clutch mechanism. of the winding reel forconnecting and disconnecting the same to and from its live spindle atpredetermined intervals, and means in said circuit and controlled by themovement of the web "for making and breaking the circuit alternatelythrough the solenoids oi the winding reel.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby,a live spindle foreach reel, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with said livespindles for driving the latter in opposite directions, a clutchmechanism for each reel, a pair of solenoids for each clutch mechanism,a switch mechanism in circuit with said solenoids and driven by the geartrain for intermittently energizing the solenoids of the'winding reelfor actuating the clutch mechanism thereof for connecting anddisconnecting the winding reel to and from its spindle at predeterminedintervals, means in said circuit and controlled by the movement. of theweb for making and breaking the circuit alternately through thesolenoids or" the winding reel, and another switch mechanism also insaid circuit and rotated by the gear train at a rate of speed slowerthan the first mentioned switch mechanism' for energizing one of thesolenoids of the other reel for holding the clutch mechanism thereof inposition disconnecting that reel from the associated spindle during thewinding-of the web on the winding reel, and to energize thecorresponding solenoid of the other reel at predetermined intervals toreverse the direction of the web.

8. In a device of the character described,

the combination of two reels, a web carried.

thereby, a live spindle for each reel, eiec trically actuated clutchmeans for each reel for connect ng and disconnecting the same to andfrom its spindle, a motor, a gear train connecting the motor with saidspindles for rotating the latter in opposite directions, means incircuit with said clutch means and controlled by the movement of the webfor making and breaking the circuit through the clutch means of thewinding reel, and rotary switch mechanism driven by the gear train andin said circuit and having segmental contact members of peripherallengths proportionateto the length of the web for reversing the actionof said clutch means to change the direction of the move ment of the webat predetermined points in its length.

a. In a device of the character described, the combination of two reels,a web carried thereby, a live spindle for eachreel, a motor, a geartrain connecting the motor with said live spindles for driving thelatter in oppo site directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel, a pairof solenoids "for each clutch mechanism, a switch mechanism operated bythe gear train and in circuitwith the solenoids for energizing one ofthem at time to hold the associated clutch mechanism in position withits. reel disconnected from its spindle during the winding of the web onthe other reel, another switch mechanism also in said circuit and drivenby said train for intermittently energizing the other set of solenoidsfor actuating the clutch mechanism or the winding reel for connectingand disconnecting the same to and from its live spindle at predetermineointervals,

said last named switch m chanism having means to deenergize the solenoidused to move the clutch to disengage the winning reel from its spindleimmediately after the completion oi such movement to permit the othersolenoid when energized to actuate the the clutch for connecting thewinding reel to its spindle.

5. In a device or" the character described, the'coinbination or tworeels, a web carried thereby, a live spindle for each reel,-electricallyactuated clutch means for each reel for'connecting and disconnecting thesame to and from its spindle, a motor, a gear train connecting the motorwith said spindles for rotating the latter in opposite directions,"

means in circuit withsaid clutch'means and controlled by the movement ofthe web for making and breaking the circuit through the clutch means ofthe winding reel, and rotary switch mechanism driven'by the gear train.and in said circuit and having segmental contact members or peripherallengths proportionate to the length of the web reversing the action ofsaid clutch means to change the direction of the movement of the web atpredetermined points in its length,

' said switch mechanism including an annular to and from its spindle, amotor, a gear train connecting the motor with said spindles for rotatingthe latter 'in opposite directions, means in circuit with said clutchmeans and controlled by the movement of the web for making and breakingthe circuit through the clutch means of the winding reel, and rotaryswitch mechanism driven by the gear train and in said circuit forreversing the action of said clutch means to change the direction ofmovement of the web at predetermined points in its length, said switchmechanism comprising an annular member of insulating material connectedwith one of the gear wheels in the gear train, two commutator ringscarried by said member and insulated from each other, two sets ofsegmental contact blades fixed to said member and projecting radiallyoutward therefrom, with the blades of each set having the sameperipheral length and spaced apart endwise a dis-' tance slightlygreater than the length of a blade, said sets of blades being laterallyspaced apart and insulated from each other by said member and arrangedwith the blades of one set opposite the spaces between the blades of theother set and electrically connected with associated rings, and threecontact fingers, one for each ring and bearing constantly against thesame, and the third finger being wide enough to extend into the path ofmovement of the blades and to bear against only one blade at a time.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of two reels,a web carried thereby v a live spindle loosely engaged with one reel, amotor, a gear train connecting said spindle with said motor for turningsaid spindle in one direction, a clutch mechanism between said spindleand its associated reel for connecting and disconnecting said reel toand from said spindle, a pair of solenoids having a common armatureconnected with said clutch mechanism for operating the same, and a makeand break mechanism in circuit with said solenoids to alternatelyenergize the same, including a rotary switch driven by the gear traincomprising an annular member of insulating material, and having a camprojection with one face flat and substantially radial, two commutationrings carried by said member with one annular and unbroken and the otherextending over said cam projection and there split to provide a gap thebase of said projection, and three contact fingers, one for each ringand bearing against the same, and the third bearing against the surfaceof said member between the other two, and a conductor strip in the fiatface of said cam projection and connected with the unbroken ring andwith one end of the split ring and in the path of movement of the middlecontact finger when the same drops over said cam projection formomentarily completing the circuit through one of the solenoids and saidrings.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a webcarrying reel, mot-or driven spindle loosely engaged with said reel, aclutch mechanism between said spindle and reel, comprising a sleeveslidably and loosely mounted on said spindle, a ratchet wheel fixed tosaid spindle, a spring pressed pawl on said reel to engage said ratchetwheel to connect said reel to said spindle, said sleeve having a flange,which when the sleeve is moved toward aid reel engages under said pawlto lift the same out of engagement with said ratchet wheel to disconnectsaid reel from said spindle, and web controlled, electrically actuatedmeans to move said sleeve back and forth at pre determined intervals toconnect and disconnect saic reel to and from said spindle.

9. In device of the character described, the combination of a webcarrying reel, a motor driven spindle loosely engaged with said reel, aclutch mechanism between said spindle and reel, comprising a sleeveslidably and loosely mounted on said spindle, a ratchet wheel fixed tosaid spindle, a spring pressed pawl on said reel to engage said ratchetwheel to connect said reel to said spindle, said sleeve having a flange,which when the sleeve is moved toward said reel engages under said pawlto lift the same out of engagement with said ratchet wheel to disconnectsaid reel from said spindle, apair of solenoids having a common armatureconnected to said sleeve for moving the same back and forth atpredetermined intervals to connect and disconnect said reel to and fromsaid spindle, and web controlled, electrically actuated means in circuitwit-h said solenoids for alternately energizing said solenoids tooperate said clutch mechanism.

10. In a device of the character described,

, the combination of two reels, a web carried thereby, a live spindleloosely engaged with one reel, a. motor, a gear train connecting saidspindle with said motor for turning said spindle in one direction, aclutch mech anism between said spindle and its associated reel forconnecting and disconnecting said reel to and from said spindle, a pairof solenoids having a common armature connected with said clutchmechanism for op era ing the same, and a make and break mechanism incircuit with said solenoids to alternately energize the same, includinga guide roller in said circuit and over which the web moves, a series ofslots in said web and elongated transversely thereof and spaced apartlengthwise of the same, a flat spring contact finger bearing againstsaid web at said roller to engage the same through said slots, saidfinger having the contact end thereof cut to provide a plurality oftongues so that at least one of which will engage the roller through aslot in case theweb shifts laterally to bring a slot partially out ofcomplete register with said finger, and another contact finger bearingconstantly against said roller beyond one edge of said Web. 11'. In adevice of the character described, the combination of tWo web carryingreels, a motor connected with said reels by means for turning the reelsin opposite directions, a clutch mechanism for each reel for connectingand disconnecting the same to and from said motor, means for operatingeach clutch mechanism, comprising a pair of sole noids, an armaturetherefor in the form of a 9th day 01": June,

rod extending through the solenoids and movable endwise by the same andconnected with the clutch mechanism, a sleeve of insulating materialfixed to said rod between the solenoids, a contact ring carried by saidsleeve, a contact member in circuit with said solenoids bearing againstsaid sleeve and in the path of movement of said ring, and a make andbreak mechanism in said circuit and controlled by the movement of theweb to alternately energize said solenoids.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afliX mysignature this A. D. 1920. I

JOHN A. GREEK,

